Yoga Being GRADUATES

Yoga Therapist Graduate, AU , Lisa Blanch

Yoga for Cancer Survivors

Yoga for Cancer Patients Teacher Training I,II,III: The Art & Science of Teaching Yoga to Cancer Patients and Survivors, is a fantastic training and learning experience. Through the exploration of ever-growing evidence-based practices, and the connection with human stories and experiences, this training provides essential information and learning for any yoga therapist or teaching wanting to work with cancer patients and survivors. it underscores our work with heart, soul and profound purpose. Jean is an inspiring, creative and generous mentor, who skillfully guides you through science, humanity, and your own teaching experience to open new doors of practice and teaching in this important field. I am grateful to have benefitted from her wisdom through this course. (April 2017)

Survivor, Healer, Musician, Yoga for Cancer Survivors

ROBIN MUNSON
Survivor, Healer, Musician,

Robin Munson’sjourney with yoga began when she was recovering from a second bout with cancer in 2002. Since that time, she has benefited from the calming, grounding, and cleansing effects of yoga which have helped her to strengthen her immune system, develop strength and flexibility in her body, and quiet and focus her mind. Feeling that she needed to share the knowledge that had so changed her life, she decided to take teacher training in 2010 with Christy Marsden and is a certified Yoga Alliance RYT-200. She also holds a Master of Arts degree in Marriage and Family therapy. She has a passion for helping others who, like her, are in the process of reclaiming their lives following serious or life-threatening illnesses or injuries. In addition, Robin has been a singer-songwriter for many years. She lives in Oxnard, California with her husband and writing partner, Art Munson.

Regarding Jean DiCarlo-Wagner’s YCS Course:

I have been taking Jean’s course and I finished with all three parts. It has been a very illuminating journey for me.

As a two-time cancer survivor myself and a yoga instructor with a fair amount of experience teaching other cancer survivors and their caregivers, I realized that I still needed more training explicitly for this population. There is virtually no special training in 200-hour teacher training courses (or at least, the one that I took) that touches on this subject. Of course, in a broader sense I was taught that yoga is a healing art, but when faced with the reality of my own YCS classes, I was flying by the seat of my pants.

I was delighted to know that Jean was offering this course, because I knew her from her work with Yoga Bear and I knew what a light she was in the community.

From the “git-go”, I knew that I was about to have a great experience. I took the pre-test and realized there were still holes in my knowledge about cancer. As we progressed further, I learned so many of the effects that cancer has physically, emotionally and spiritually that need to be acknowledged and addressed when we teach cancer patients. I thought I knew all of them. Not even close! Jean also made me see that I still had preconceived notions about “what cancer looks like”.

The range of subjects within this course is vast. We learned about the breath, a new perspective on death, a template for a class with cancer patients (which, by the way, is very different than working with a group of survivors who are in long-term remission.) We have learned about including evidence-based research and yogic philosophy in our classes. It’s been very eye-opening and has opened new channels for me within my own psyche, new revelations about how I view cancer and my relationship to it.

I’ve learned that teaching cancer patients is very challenging, and in some ways, much more challenging than simply teaching a “normal” class while adapting the classic poses. I’ve learned to teach to the most fragile student in the room. This may sound simple, but it’s like trying to do a vinyasa in slow motion — Try it, and you’ll see what I mean!

So, as you can well imagine, this is not an easy course. There is a fair amount of reading. It requires a good deal of thought, and for me, anyway, a good deal of time so that I can really take in the ideas put before me and integrate them into my practice as a teacher. But the subject matter, the quality of the teaching and the work required are all so valuable and have kept me eager to learn more. And now when I teach, I have this amazing new skill set and something I can build on as I evolve as a teacher, whether with cancer patients/survivors or with others.

Caitlin Parsons, is a Certified Yoga Therapist, E-RYT200. She became a Yoga Therapist at the Soul of Yoga in Encinitas, CA, where Jean’s course is a 100 CEU elective course.

Regarding Jean DiCarlo-Wagner’s YCS Course:

“The Art & Science of Teaching Yoga to Cancer Patients and Survivors” I was compelled to take Jean’s 100-hour “Art & Science of Teaching Yoga to Cancer Patients and Survivors” after taking a short 5 hour Intro to Yoga for Cancer Patients workshop earlier this year at Yoga Well. It has been my passion for as long as I can remember to help others, and up until a few years ago, I didn’t know it would be through Yoga Therapy. Helping cancer patients and survivors is one of the first populations that I can think of when I think of Yoga Therapy. I look forward in helping to create a better sense of well-being for every individual I have the pleasure of instructing!

I would OF COURSE recommend the class! (Do you feel confident to use your skills?) Absolutely — thank you for everything, Jean!

Jean impressed me from the very beginning when I first met her over six months ago. She is a strong and empowering female and yoga instructor who has been through so much. Her knowledge and experience in the field left me with only comfort and excitement to move forward learning from her. With a gentle and understanding soul, she has been one of the most motivating instructors I have ever had.

I learned so much from this course! From the basics of cancer and cancer therapies; to yoga, yoga postures, and adapting new therapies of yoga for patients suffering with cancer– the list could go on forever. Luckily, Jean not only left me with all of this knowledge to pass on to others, but also so many resources to ensure I continue learning and growing both as a person and an instructor.

Melissa Korte-Saunders is a yoga and fitness instructor who loves travel and adventure. Her philosophy is to integrate various learning techniques to ensure the development of her students’ physical and mental health in a safe, inclusive environment. Starting in Austin, Texas, Melissa was an elementary special education teacher as well as yoga instructor. While living in the Middle East, Melissa developed workshops and classes to introduce members of Israeli and Palestinian communities to Hatha and Kundalini Yoga, participated in outreach to communities in the West Bank, introducing yoga and fitness, with an emphasis on women’s health. She also completed her 200-hour certification in Kundalini Yoga from the School of Kundalini Yoga in Tel Aviv. After moving from Jerusalem to Denver, Colorado, Melissa became Yoga Coordinator at the Westminster Lifetime Fitness, teaching Iyengar-influenced Hatha, Ashtanga, Hot Yoga, Hot Flow Yoga, Kundalini and Yoga Pilates Fusion as well as private and small group sessions. She facilitated workshops, intensives and yoga events, and assisted in recruiting and training yoga instructors. Now living in sunny San Diego, California, she loves doing yoga on the beach as well as sharing her practice at home with her 4-year-old.

Regarding Jean DiCarlo-Wagner’s YCS Course:

I learned so much from this course and would highly recommend it. In choosing yoga and fitness as a career, I can help others on their pathway to health, and this is such a good way to go! In my classes, there are a variety of people with all sorts of “tissue issues” and with the course knowledge I feel I can help cancer survivors, both with what I’ve learned and also as a guide and resource for students. Jean was very hands on in guiding my learning and ensuring that I was creating an optimal experience for both my students and myself. None of us knows the future, but we can bring loving kindness to all.

Susan Nelson discovered kundalini yoga in the middle of her own breast cancer journey. She was hooked from that first class and never looked back. Yoga gave her a way to calm her anxious mind, explore her “new” body, and create a deep sense of spirit within her. She wanted to share this amazing discovery with other women, and completed her 200 hour yoga teacher training. She began sharing yoga and breathwork with cancer and caregiver support groups, and she eventually began a weekly yoga class at Rockingham Memorial Hospital serving cancer survivors. Recently, she finished her certification for teaching yoga to cancer survivors. Her focus is to share transformative techniques in the studio that can be taken into your every day lives to help reduce fatigue and stress, and improve well-being. Sue wants you to know that no matter where you are in body, mind and spirit, yoga can bring you strength, peace and joy! Off the yoga mat, Sue enjoys exploring holistic healing, gardening and homesteading at her 100 year old farmette. She is also a Level 1 Healing Touch practitioner . She would love to hear from you at CalmSeaWoman@gmail.com

Regarding Jean DiCarlo-Wagner’s YCS Course:

As a cancer survivor myself, I was already drawn to teaching other survivors and sharing the healing benefits of yoga. I knew that I wanted to share this amazing practice with other survivors, and I knew I needed to find a program to help me deepen my experience. I felt I already had a head start in going into this program, but I soon found myself challenged, learning in new ways, gaining new perspective, and tackling some difficult subjects. This program helped me explore my own teaching style, deepening my understanding of the yoga tenets. What I learned pushed me to look at my teaching with fresh eyes, to be able to adjust and adapt for the needs of my students, and take my teaching to a whole new level. I am a better teacher because of this course. I know more about biology and how it relates to yoga. If you are a yoga teacher that is drawn to teaching Survivors, this program is a great place to start.

NAMASTE. My name is Tracey Burrows. I started practicing traditional Hatha Yoga over 20 years ago. The first time I knew, that this was going to be my life’s passion.

I was lucky enough to complete my teacher training in Southern India with master teacher Bhooma Chaitanya and Swami Yogeshananda, a disciple of the famous Swami Dayananda Saraswati. My time learning from them at Panmana ashram was literally life-changing and set me on a course from which I have never looked back. I return to the ashram as often as I can to continue to unravel the mysteries of traditional Yoga, oh and to enjoy the food!

I live in Bahrain with my husband, dog, chickens and tortoise. I lead daily Hatha Yoga classes and run regular classes and workshops on breathing and meditation, which are two of my big yoga passions. My dream to is to travel to the US and studey with leading anatomist and breath work teacher Leslie Kaminoff at his studio in New York.

FEEDBACK ON “The Art & Science of Teaching Yoga to Cancer Patients and Survivors”
I took the Art & Science of Teaching Yoga to Cancer Patients and Survivors over a six month period with a group of teachers from around the world. We called ourselves “The Global Tea,”. I have started teaching Yoga for Cancer Survivors at a local hospital. My training with Jean has literally changed my practice of teaching all my yoga classes. The course prepared me to design a class that was effortless to teach, once I learned all the background information in the online course. It is a deep course of learning, which I will continue to develop with all the resources Jean provided. I highly recommend the course to those wishing to teach cancer patients in a therapeutic and healing setting.

A short bio:
For as long as she can remember, Marielle RICCIO has been passionate about Indian art and culture. She discovered yoga as a young adult on one of her trips to India. For over 12 years, while working around the world as a professional humanitarian worker, she practiced only occasionally. But the seed had been planted… At 35, while going through her own journey with breast cancer, she naturally turned to yoga for support and strength. Amazed at the profound transformational power of yoga, she wanted to find out more and returned to India after her treatment to complete her 300 hours Teacher Training Certification with the School of Santhi, in Kerala. Upon returning home to France, she felt the need to share the wonders of yoga with others while pursuing her own learning path. Today, she lives in Nice with her husband and their two cats Celestine and Yogini. She recently started a class for breast cancer survivors and caregivers, and hopes to extend gentle yoga classes to other survivors and chronic disease patients.
Feedback on “The Arts & Science” course:
As a cancer survivor and yoga teacher, I felt drawn to sharing the benefits of yoga with other cancer patients and survivors, but I needed more tools and self-confidence. I also needed to “demystify” the disease to better accept it and, through acceptance, be able to develop a safe space for patients to begin their own healing process. Jean’s YCS course provided all that: an understanding of cancer and its physical and psychological effects on patients and caregivers, safe tools for the classroom, breathing and meditation techniques, and plenty of food for thought and heart. Much more, Jean gave us trust, love, light, and the opportunity to discuss openly with wonderful teachers from around the world also attending the course. Thanks to Jean, Tracey, Petra, Miha, Chen, Caitlin, Robin and others, my teaching has evolved in my YCS class and other classes. I learned to better adapt to my students’ needs, and they can feel it. Thank you Jean. I would definitely recommend the course to anyone drawn to teaching yoga to cancer survivors.
Online info:
Website: www.yog-m.com
Facebook: Yog’M – Yoga (www.facebook.com/yogMnice)
You Tube channel: Yog’ M

The link to my website: http://www.helendeyoga.nl/

Short bio:
Petra Aben-Kuipers discovered yoga in 2001 while recovering from a severe burnout. Yoga gave her tools to listen to the needs of her body, which was essential for her recovery. For over 10 years, while working as a project manager, she regularly turned to yoga for relaxation. After an accident in 2009, yoga helped Petra coping with pain and physical limitations. This profound experience made her decide she wanted to share the power of yoga with other people. She completed a three years Hatha Yoga teacher training in 2012. Today Petra still works as a project manager in hospitals all over The Netherlands and she teaches yoga to hospital staff. This summer she will start gentle yoga classes for cancer patients and survivors. Petra lives in Wateringen, The Netherlands with her husband and two teenage kids.

Feedback on “The Art & Science of Teaching Yoga to Cancer Patients and Survivors” course:
Working in a specialized hospital for oncology, I’m surrounded with patients and survivors almost every day. As a longtime yogi and yoga teacher I had a deep wish to help them improve their quality of life by teaching yogic techniques. Jeans YCS course provided me with the knowledge of the physical and psychological effects of cancer but also with safe and gentle techniques to build a class. The warm and loving atmosphere in Jeans global team touched my heart and gave me confidence to develop my own style of teaching. I loved the thought provoking video’s and articles and the inspirational discussions with my fellow students from all over the world. Jeans warm, wise and intuitive style of teaching helped me face my insecurities in teaching and in adapting my teaching style to the needs of my students. Thank you Jean and classmates.
I’m very happy I met all of you and I feel blessed I’m given the chance to make a difference/1

I found Yoga three years ago, when I moved to San Diego with my two young children to follow my husband. I had left behind a life as an extremely stressed scientist and I knew I would never look back.
I am very grateful to Akasha Yoga for introducing me to the wondrous world of Yoga and its ancient philosophy. I completed the 200 hour RYT-teacher training program at Akasha Yoga in 2013. Since then, I never stopped practicing and studying Yoga.
I completed the advanced 500 hr Yoga teacher training at the Soul of Yoga, in Encinitas, in October 2014. I am also training to become a Yoga Therapist (1000 hrs) at the Soul of Yoga. I have been very lucky to study with great Yoga masters, such as Nischala Joy Devi, Larry Payne, Amy Weintraub, Durga Leela, Brian Dorfmann and Richard Miller. I am also very happy to have been recently introduced to Yoga for cancer survivors by Jean Di Carlo.
Even though I left science behind, I still keep a scientist attitude toward Yoga, always willing to learn, understand and experiment more. I do believe that Yoga has both an healing and a transformational power, as I have experienced myself. I am looking forward to beginning my practice as Yoga therapist, to guide students in their own unique path of Yoga, and ultimately reconnect to their higher Self while enjoying more peace and joy in their life.

Review of the “Arts & Science Course” I took Jean’s course Art & Science of Teaching Yoga to Cancer Patients and Survivors as part of the 1000 hrs Yoga Therapy Training, that I am about to complete. I did not expect an online course to be so emotionally and psychologically involving, but from the very first class, I was required to enter the inner world of cancer patients and understand their fears, anxiety and pains. Through this course I have learned a lot about cancer and its consequences, not only at the physical, but also at the emotional and spiritual levels. And of course, we delved deeply into the many ways Yoga can help cancer survivors feel better at all levels of their beings, from dedicated breathing practices to meditations and very gentle Yoga poses. I loved that we were provided with a simple format for a Yoga class for cancer survivors, as a simple background from where we can develop our own voices as teachers, while integrating into that format all the cancer and Yoga resources, that Jean generously provided us with over the course.
This was not the typical online course, I got to interact directly with Jean and many fellow students through Skype and we all got the support we needed in our own personal journey. Jean is a lovely, kind and very qualified teacher, with an incredible knowledge of both yoga and cancer, so if you want to get certified to become a Yoga teacher for cancer survivors, you do not need to look any further!
Thank you Jean!